St. Norbert College announces student-faculty development collaboration awards

The St. Norbert College Office of Faculty Development has announced that nine student-faculty learning partnership teams will receive Student-Faculty Development Endowment Fund awards in the amount of $1,000 each for the 2010-2011 academic year. The recipients are:

David Hunnicutt, assistant professor of biology and Blake Bashor, senior biology major from Le Claire, Iowa, for a project to identify bacteria in the zebra finch gut as well as to assess the effects of specific hormones and gut bacteria on endocrine function in the birds.

Russ Feirer, associate professor of biology, and Isabella Benassi, junior biology major from Winnebago, Ill., for a project to study the effects of resveratrol on the glucose metabolism and cell viability of melanoma and breast cancer cell lines. Their results will be presented at the American Association of Cancer Research in April 2011.

Ravi Agarwal, assistant professor of computer science, and Sergii Bilokhatnuik, junior computer science and mathematics major from Vinnitsa City, Ukraine, for a project to investigate Android's capabilities and limitations and develop a multi-level application to enhance its security and authentication process.

Anindo Choudhury, associate professor of biology and environmental science, Chase Brosseau, senior biology major from Highland Park, Ill., and Eric Gale, junior biology major from Luxemburg, Wis., for a project to study the systematics and biogeography of parasites of freshwater fishes in Panama, and their role in the Great American Biotic Interchange. Their results will be compiled and a public website will be made in collaboration with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.

Nelson Ham, professor of geology, Rebecca Schmeisser, assistant professor of geology, and Sarah Day, senior geology and Spanish major from De Pere, Wis., for a project to assess periods of dune formation in Northeast Wisconsin and the reconstruction of paleo-wind directions using new geological laboratory techniques.

Brian Pirman, associate professor of art, and Leivur Reinert Djurhuus, junior art major from Innan Glyvur, Faroe Islands, for a project to design an installation piece for the Godschalx Gallery that addresses aspects of creative initiation. The "Exquisite Corpse" will be the model of interest, and a gallery of 10 3'x3' panels will be constructed.

Bola Delano-Oriarian, assistant professor of education, Debra Faase, academic instructor of education, Tynisha Meidl, assistant professor of education, and Megan King, junior sociology major from Park Ridge, Ill., for a project to identify, examine and evaluate the instructional literacy approaches teachers use in the classroom to meet the needs of culturally diverse learners.

David Bailey, assistant professor of biology, and Emily Klug, senior biology major from Wausau, Wis., for a project to study two proteins, tyrosine kinase B and vesicular glutamate transport, and the role they play in the hippocampus of zebra finches.

Wolfgang Grassl, associate professor of business administration, Yerzhan Nauruzbayev, sophomore international business and language area studies and political science major from Pavlodar, Kazakhstan, and Jamilya Sauranbayeva, junior business administration major from Astana, Kazakhstan, for a project to study options for developing the logistics market in Kazakhstan with the goal of stimulating international business. This project will also look at the possibility of contributing to our local Brown County economy by involving local business in the project.

David Poister, associate professor of chemistry and environmental science, and Alison Schaefer, junior chemistry major from Delano, Minn., for a project to sample and study a blue-green algae found in the Fox River that releases a compound that stimulates the growth of freshwater diatoms.

Amy Vandenberg, assistant professor of business administration, Andrea Burkland, senior accounting major from Green Bay, Wis., and Stephanie Weiss, senior business major from Shorewood, Minn., for a project to study the affects of mark-to-market on a broad spectrum of banking industries ranging from small branches to large governmental institutions.

David Hunnicutt, assistant professor of biology, and Renee Wenig, senior biology and mathematics major from Chilton, Wis., will receive support for a continued project to study nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus at St. Norbert College. The data will be analyzed to compare it to current research to determine current risk factors.